Yarn-control mechanism



t 19 1927. v 1.636409 July w. P. DRUMHELLER YARN CONTROL MECHAISM FiledSept. 25. 1924 5 Sheetl-Shet 1 B867 S8 Y Y wvl 1,636,409 July 19 1927,w. P. DRUMHELLER l YARN CONTROL MECHAISM Filed Sept. 23, 1924 5Sheets-Sheet 2 1,636,409 July 19 19.27" w.,P. DRUMHELLER YARN CONTROLvMECHANISM Filed sept. 23, 1924 5 sheets-'Sheet 3 m 3. N 2 I n m Q5 9) l//lll||\\\\\ l' mul-'fm 1 d Inl m i I 'l I 3 )g 1,636,409 my 19 1927w.-P. DRUMHELLER YARN CONTROL MECHANISM' Filed Sept. 23 1924 5sheets-sheet `4 Patented July 19, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM P. DRUMHELLER, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THEWILLIAM CARTER COMPANY, OF 'NEEDHAM HEIGHTS, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORnPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

YARN-CONTROL MECHANISM.

Application filed September 23, 1924. Serial No. 739,326.

This invention relates to yarn control for knitting machines, and moreparticularly to improved means for effecting a positive, controlled feedof the yarn or yarns to the Y needles of the machine, or to the needlesand the immediately cooperating instrumentalities thereof, and in suc-ha manner as to prevent press-offs in the event of yarn breakage orexhaustion.

il In the accompanying drawings disclosing one embodiment of myinvention Fig. l is a front elevation of the central and left portionsof a circular knitting inachine, shown as of the dial type, having my linvention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view taken from above the entire mechanism, with partsbroken away;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the machine, showingthe yarn feedfft ing means and the upper stop motion head relatedthereto;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of one set of feed wheels or rolls andclosely associated parts;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken through a set of feed wheels or rollssuch as shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a portion of a yarn guiding and stop motionactuating Si# mechanism associated with each set of feed.

rolls or wheels;

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are partially diagrammatic views indicating theoperation of the mechanism and the relation of the positive 3f) feed tothe stop motion and the let-olf mechanism in preventing press-offs inthe event of yarn failure or breakage;

Fig. 10 is a plan view, partially diagrammatic, upon a smaller scalethan Fig. 2.

My invention may be applied to any desii-ed type of knitting machine as,tor example, either straight or rotary, and with the latter type it maybe employed with a rotated needle cylinder or rotated cam cylindei. lhave chosen to represent the invention as applied to a circular type ofknitting machine having a rotated needle cylinder and a fiat dial. i Idesire it to be understood. that my invention is not limited to thedisthe circular type having a plurality of yarn feeds and with circularmachines of the rib type.

closed or any other particular type of ma-` chine. although peculiarlycooperating with This application is a continuation as to certain commonsubject matter of my copending application, Serial No. 633,140, filed'April 19, 1923, now Patent #1,512,89L'dated October 21, 1924.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1 the bed plateof the machine is there indicated at 1 and is supported upon suitableuprights 2 extending' from a base 3. The cam cylinder is indicated as awhole at 4 and the dial plate at 5. From said dial plate there isupstanding a central stationary support 6 extending through a cross head7, itself supported from the bed plate 1 by suitable posts 8, 9.

From said bed plate there extends upwardly at the right in Fig. 1 abracket 10 having an inwardly curved upper portion 11 at the inner endof which is supported a collar 12 in which is received and secured acentral stationary upright 13 which at its lower end supports a portionof one stop mechanism indicated generally at 14.

Said stop motion 14, which will be hereinafter referred to as the lowerstop motion,

includes an upper ring or disc-like member so 15, an intermediate ring16 below said meinber 15 and having pivoted therein a number ofvibratory members 1 7 provided with counter weights 18, the number ofsaid vibratory members corresponding to the number of yarns or threadssupplied to the needles. Below the intermediate ring 16 is a ring 19over which the various yarns pass, being guided through the eyes 20, 21of the pivoted vibratory members 17. Below said ring 19 is desirablypositioned another ring 19LPL over which the yarns pass and thencedirectly to the needles of the machine which are a relatively shortdistance therefrom, passing first through guides 19, one for each yarn.i

The central upright 13 carries at an intermediate point a disc-likemember 22 from which extend supports for the individual yarn packageshere shown as rods 23 extending' substantially radially and downwardlyand terminating suitably to support each a yarn package 24 equalling innumber the number of yarns or threads to he supplied to the knittingmechanism.

Above said member 22 there is secured to the central upright 13 astationary head or 1 casing` 25, seen in Fig. 1 and upon. larger scalein Fig. 3. and illustrated as somewhat conical in form at its upperportion and of a depth sufficient to receive a portion of the drivingmechanism for the positive yarn feeding means andv also to receive inits lower port-ion suitable stop mechanism, hereinafter referred to asthe upper stop mechanism and which may be of any well known form. Uponits upper surface said head or casing is formed with a bearing 26through which extends a horizontal shaft 27. Said shaft is supportedv atits outer end in a bearing 28 upon a bracket 29 carried at the upperendy of a vertical rod or upright 30 rising from a bracket 31 itselfsupported on the machine framing.

rllhe main drive shaft of the machine is indicated at 32 and has thereonfast and loose pulleys 33', 34 and a=tits inner end a bevel pinion 35 bymeans of which the needle cylind'er is rotated. Suitable let-olfmechanism is indicated'as a whole at 33n the same including a shiftablebelt-fork 33"-and operating levers 33C, 33d adapted to be actuated Vtoshift the belt through suitable connections, including the chain 33e.

Driven from said main drive shaft 32 through suitable connections, notnecessary to indicate herein, is a vertical shaft 36 at the upper end ofwhich, at the upper left portion of Fig. l, is fast-a bevelV pinion 37,indicated by dotted lines, and meshing with a similar pinion 3S-fast atthe outer endv of the horizontal shaft 27 already mentioned and which isthereby rotated at a suitable speed. f

At `the inner ond of said horizontal shaft 27, Within the head 25,isfast a bevel pinion 39 seen in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and which mesheswith teeth upon the upper face of aplate gear 4l rotatably supportedupon the upright 13 within the casing 25. Said plate gear is formed uponits-lower face near its outer edge with an'annular series of teeth 45which mesh with Vand drive a series of bevel pinions-46, indicated indotted lines in Fig.

2.` Said pinions 46, corresponding in number to the number of yarns orthreads fed to the machine and henceV tothe number of yarn or threadpackages 24. Vare arranged in a circular series, each being supportedupon `the inner end of al substantially radial horizontal shaft 47extending upwardly through the head or casing 25 andprovided withsuitable be'arings therein. Each of said shafts 47 extendsoutwardlythrough a bracket 49, Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 10, suitably supported as bymeai'is of afixed stud or rod 50. Each stud or rod 50 lies insubstantial parallelism with its shaft 47 and' at its inner end issecured as by a set screw 52 inthe liead creasing 25 or an extensionthereof.

Upon the outer end of each shaft 47 beyond its bracket 49 is fast onefeed roll or Wheel 53 of a set of such rolls or Wheels.

their length with the teeth or flutes 55 of aV similar lower roll orwheel 56. As shown, the mesh is somewhat deeper at the largerdiainetered ends of the rolls. Said lower roll or wheel 56-is rotatablymounted upon a stud shaft 57 carried at the outer end of an arm 58, seeFig. 4, of a bell crank 59 itself pivoted at 60 upon the bracket 49 andhaving an arm 6l extending upwardly in general parallelism withsaidbracket 49. At its upper end said arm 61-receives a pin 63 supportedat its inner end in the bracket 49. The outer end of said pin 63 isscrew threaded to receive an adjusting nut 64 and a lock nut 65 by meansof which the positionof the vbell crank 59 and the roll or wheel 56 maybe very accurately determined and in this inanner the longitudinal.extent and the depth of meshing of the roll 56 and the roll 53accurately controlled. A coil spring 66 bearing intermediate the bracket49 and the arm 6l of the bell crank tends to move said arm 671outwardly.

Above the roll 53 is provided, in thepresp-` ent foi-iii of myinvention, a third -leed rolli or wheel 67 having Ateeth or flutes v63Vand mounted for Natation from or by the roll 53. The teeth vor flutesofsaid roll 67 mesh with Uit".

those of said roll 53 siinilziufly as do the teeth or flutes 55 of thelower roll 56. Said upper roll 67 is adjustably supported in amannersimilar to said lower roll, being loosely mounted upona stud 69 at theouter end of lli) one arm 79 of a bell crank 71 pivoted as at Y 72 uponthe bracket 49. The other arm`73 of said bcll crank extends downwardlyand at its lower end isprovidcd with an opening through which passesthey nin 74 siuliportcd at its inner end by the bracket 49. At its outerend said piu 7 4 is threaded to receive an adj listing` nut 75 and a'lock nut 76 wherebv kthe meshing relation of the upper roll 67 and theroll 53 may beaccuratelv controlled, A coil spring 77 similar to thespringr 66 tends to move the arin 73 out-- wardly. The upper and thelower rolls or wheels are thus positively rotated from or by the centralroll' 53, herein through the teethl or flutes upon said members. but ifdesired'separate pinions may be. provided for that purpose.

The respective sets of feed rolls or wheels are supported at arelatively kshort distance' :ipzaceii laterally .from euch line. raclearly eeen in fiig. lli. erich eet oil' 'lced wheele er rolle herein,but not necesieiiriiy, lice to one eide elz inzinner that the yarn uuiyhe introduced lietween the whcele or rolleA in :i interni. direction.il" dei-dried, :ind :is shown in Figc. l

l ur i provide u serien olf erols To oroj r; holly troni the centralsupport i?, 1i terminating in ou eye or guide il) @instituting ii linotcatcher hul. oil e nent eine it pmnit the ready passage or the lhreud oryarn wiih eiilllcient li'eedoin to oilow for the ballooning' o1' lateralinotion thereoi. leid eye or opming :it the .nd el" un erin iilcnnfiilily is iteclll directly in line verl'icziliy with the. olif itsyzirn pzuloigc :ind accordingly eoiiiewhfit laterally spaced 'frein thecorrcepondiny or reed whceliii.

intermediate the eye or guide oiE czicli :irri itl ond. the positivefeeding; nenne, iieiei tlile c-.ii responding sit el leed rolle orwheelsV l provide ineens for d A .l fariooly guiding :im to :seidpositivel lfeeding;1 ineens and -lor iilictii'iei the action olli e.Sten motion, herei contained in the lower portion of the -1 l 2), uponexhaustion oi the yarn. or

liege there/ol 1eetween the yarn package the iissocirited positivefeeding ineens. Aceoriinejly, es heet seen in Figs. l, 3 and el, ,i isadjustehly mounted et the lower end of the bracket i9 or in an extensionA49* thereoll i sleeve-like n'ieinlier 8O constituting :i hearing for :irock Shaft er wire 8l forinine part of the trip mechanism which isadapted to control or initiate the action olf the intcrnfil mechanismoit the Stop motion within seid casing it ite outer end erich `euch rockw'rc 8l is 'formed with e inger 8f3 which, when the yarn 'feeding'noi'ii'ielly1 is in. upright position l cocpereres with :i iired ringer88 exl'cni. nu. niiwzirdly lfroin Seid Sleeve 8th mid lingers togetherconstituting in their noi-uml position en eye or guifdezilor the ya 'npissing to the poeitive 'feeding` ineens Such mi the wheels or rollsherein Shown.

The `vorn `niidinrej 'portions` oi" seid lingers tzlfl. Sil :irepositioned relatively close to the luffjlit or neehing line oli the feedrolls or 5G und so that the yarn l'i'oin the Pei eclion through Suidlingers and directly lo Seid feed nicnihers. Y

iiifio Seid lingers SP3 are erljusiwrhlc, herein in@nruilllv` so or topermit their yarn lli portion@l to he sh"ted along' the eine; line. oli'the feed ineinhers 35i 56, y looseninir the clamp screw 80% and fil,pro-vided :for holding each sleeve-like member .in adjusted position inite hifzicliei ell?, :mid n'ieiiihci.' o() and the. lingers er., #lilcairried ti'ierccy niziy loc eiiilleiil to eilfccl ihe dc- :iei'i'cedudpietnien't.

AS well :ihowu iu flfig. il :ind ziirio in itil,I l and o? cach rochVwire Hl :it ils inner end Supported 'fo rocking uiovenicn. iii imuitzihle hrzicliet 2" (.lependingg; troni the heed or casing' 25.

Neer iti-i inner end Seid roch wire Si hito fixed to il u teleur-ciiog'er Hl," lowing :i portion Sil' efdeiiduiir in e Santini parallelismwith rii-l 'rock wire. timid releasie linger Si when ir. iioiu'uilposition. sui'inorts the outer end rlflior a suitably weighted droplinger or like trip nienilicr o5 the letter lining' plv ohily Supportedwithin the koning or hood d cooperating; in zi wel] lmowu manner withthe slop niechzmisnu therein 'Lo cause the :mire io uct to opcrue theloll-oli niechunien'l Y top the niiichine.

the Support of the trip ineinher which .l i

ine' the inechanisin within the heed 25 so es to trip the Seine :indcausing or allowing t ie let-otl mechanism to ope "alle 'to Shirt theheilt freni the iiziet to the loose pulley und lso to :ippij zi. hrzileil provided.

riny suitable connections may he provir` ed `intei'inediiitc the `iipperstop inotion in the head 25 and the lent-off incchoniein whereby theheit lorl; 33" may he niovcd to stop the niecliin As best eeen in liire.8 and Si,

partially dizigrznnineticiilly, Sind connectionf include ii inovzihlepin Se which is; cruised 'to move iziterzilly, .fiewing'g Fig'. S, inthe known nimmer, when the upper stop inecl'ienisui, in the head 9.5, istripped. Seid pin 86 carries et its lower end :in miti'iudly projectingiinger 8T cooperating with :L lug' 88 feet :it the ripper end ol e. rodor mit Si) rotertixlily Supported in e suitable hearing; 90 carried hythe inochine training. illoveinent of said pin Se will produce turning1movement oi mid rod Si) thereby 1:Lueing the linger (Jl. :it the lowerend oi the letter lio he moved out ol the path ol,I the stud 92 carriedhy the rotrite-ble cern DE, thue leaving seid cmu 'free to turn upon itspivot 94.

Cooperating with Seid com ie. ai verticzdly nioveblc stop 95 Supportedin. :i Suiteliie hreclie` 9G und ueseed upwardly by a. coil spring; 9Thearing; hetw-een ii. Shoulder oi eziid Stop rneinher 95 and the lowerportion ol Seid bracket 96. At its lower end seid stop nien'iherr 95 isiforineiil :is :fr rod 98 projectingl below the bed plete l and havingSecured et iii.

(iii

its lower end an arm 99. `lhen the rod 98 is moved upwardly by thespring 97 the inner end of said arm 99 comes within the path of a seriesof pins, one of which is indicated at 100 in Fig. S) near the peripheryof the gear 101 for actuating vthe needle cylinder. At its opposite endsaid arm 99 has secured thereto the inner end of the chain or likemember already described and whereby the lever 33d may be moved to shiftthe belt, see Fig. 1. y

Referring to Fig. '7, the yarn 102 from any given package 2/1 leadsupward through the corresponding guide T9, thence upwardly and.laterally through the combined variable yarn guid' i' and sto p motionactuating means 62, S3, and thencerlaterallv in'substantially ahorizontal direction between the lower feed rolls or wheels 56 and 53.At the side of said rolls opposite to said means 82, 83 is preferablyprovided a yarn guide 105, see also Figs. 3 and e, adjustably supportedon the extension 119 of the bracket 49 so as to be shifta ble, hereinmanually, along the bight of said rolls and similarly as the combinedguiding` and stop-motion actuating mians 82, 83 is adjustable, Saidguide, as illustrated, has a slotted portion 106 through which passes aclamp screw by loosening which said guide may be adjusted longitudinallyand vertically as desired;

lifter juif-:sing through said adjustable guide 105 the yarn 102 isthenr led between the upper feed rolls or wheels 53 and 67, and thoncepi. c-i'ably through another adjustable guiiflc 10T siniilarly supportedupon the bracket alf) as said guide 105 so as to be shiftablc manu; llyalong the bight of said rolls. rllllieucc the yarn 102,' positively fedat vai-iable speeds by said set of wheels or rolls, extends upwardlyover the upper guideI or tensionV arm 108 suitably supported at theupper end of the central upright 13 and whence it passes downwardly,tlirough a guide 100 .if desired to the lower stop mech-- anti fireadydescribed.

Because of the provision, intermediate each yarn package and theypositive feeding means pertaining thereto, of means for initiating theoperation of a stop mechanism in `the event of' failure or exhaustion ofthe yarn, or breakage therein between the points mentioned,`the over-allheight of the machine may be materially reduced. Ordinarily the upperyarn guide or tension arm,

such as the member 108 herein, must be located at a comparatively greatdistance above the feed means, generally at least three feet, in orderto provide sufficient length of yarn between the feed means and theneedles to tend to prevent a press-oil of the yarn in the event of yarnexhaustion or i breakage. Such excess height of the machine, in additionto decreasing its compaotness, adds to the cost of manufacture A matelyone half.

and makes the upper parts of the machine less easily accessible to theoperative.. By the .disclosed provision of means adjacent the positiveyarn feeding means. and'preferably between the latter and the yarnpackage, for initiatingI the operation of mechanism for stopping themachine the height of said upper guide and consequently the length ofyarn necessary between the feeding means and the needles may be reducedby approxi- Since the stopping of the machine is initiated by themovement of a member, herein the combined yarn guiding and drop wire 82before the run-out or broken yarn end reaches the feeding means, thcmachine will stop before such end reaches the needles, or even reachesthe lower stop mechanism disclosed, and in some instances before suchend has passed the feed means.

From the foregoing it will be understood that my invention provides acombined positive variable yarn feeding and press-off preventinglmechanism including means for variably, positively feeding the yarn,adjustable means for guiding the yarn thereto and means adjacent orforming part of said guidingl means for initiating the stopping of theknitting machine before a broken or exhausted yarn end has appreciablypassed said Vfeeding means thereby preventing press-Offs and decreasingby at least one-half the length of yarn necessary between said feedingmeans and the needles. y

lily invention is not limited to the illustrative embodiment thereofdisclosed.

Claims:

1. ln a knitting mechanism including one or more yarn packagescorresponding in number to the number of yarns to be supplied, knittinginstrunientalities to whichv said linger operativelyconnected withsai-dV stop motion and normally maintained in inoperative positionduring proper feeding of the yarn but movable to initiate the action ofsaid stop motion in response to failure of the yarn or breakage thereofat a point between the package and said feedwheels or rolls, and anormally stationary llinger cooperatinp; with said movable linger toguide the yarn to said feed wheels or rolls, the yarn guiding portionsof said lingers being adjustablev to vary the point of fed of the yarnwith respect to said feed wheels or rolls thereby to vary the rate ofyarn feed.

2. 1n a knitting mechanism including one or more yarn( packagescorresponding in meV lll)

positive feeding means, and whereby the over-all height of the knittingmachine may be materially reduced.

9. A combined positive yarn feed and press-off preventing mechanismforknitting machin-es comprising in combination, in a knittingorganization, means to support one yarn at said feeding means, saidguidingdevice constituting also a movable part for initiating the actionof a stop motion upon exhaustion of the yarn or breakage thereof betweensaid package and said positive feeding means. A 10.` In a. knittingorganization including a. source of yarn supply, knittinginstrumentalities to which said yarn is to be fed, mecln vanism foroperating said instrumentalities. and a stop motion for stopping saidmechanism, the combination of a set of toothed, intermeshing, drivenfeed rolls for positively feeding the yarn, and means close to said feedrolls `for initiating the action of the stop motion and normallyfunctioning as a guide for the yarn and h-eld out oi' mecha.- iiismstopping position by the yarn during proper yarn feeding, whereby theoverall height of the knitting organization may be materially reducedwithout danger of the occurrence of a press-off of the "Yarn inthe eventof yarn exhaustion or brea age on the way to or upon emergence fromsaidfeed rolls.

1l. In a knitting organization including a. source of yarn supply,knitting instrumentalities to which said yarn is to be fed. mechanismfor operating said instrumentalities,

and a stop motion for stopping said mechanism, `the combination of a setof toothed,

`driven feed rolls for positively feeding the yarn, and means close tosaid feed rolls and mechanically supported in the knitting orga-iiization, for initiating the action of the stop motion and normallyfunctioning as a. guide 'for the yarn and Vheld out of mecha.-

' nism stopping position by the yarn during proper vyarn feeding,whereby the overall height of the knitting organization may bematerially reduced` without danger of a press-off of the yarn in theevent of yarn exhaustion or breakage on the way to or upon emergencefrom 4said feed rolls.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM P. nnUMHnL-Lnn.

